Calgary, AB Overview

Calgary, with its population of 1.2 million, is the largest city in Alberta and the third-largest in Canada. The city anchors the southern end of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, and its metro area is home to more corporate home offices than any other city in Canada except Toronto.

Until the 1980s, Calgary's economy was almost entirely based on oil and gas; however, after that decade's slump, the city made serious efforts to diversify its economic base. It focused on attracting high-tech manufacturing and building up its tourism sector, which culminated in the city's hosting of the 1988 Winter Olympics. Today, Calgary welcomes over 3 million visitors each year.

Calgary, AB Job Opportunities

The oil and gas industry still plays a major role in the city's economy, and energy engineering jobs in Calgary, AB, are always in demand. BP Canada, Suncor Energy and TransCanada are some of the larger employers in this sector. The chemical sector also has a heavy presence in the city, with Nova Chemicals and Dow Chemical Canada being the source of many technical and management jobs in Calgary, AB. Other major Calgary employers include the Calgary Zone of the Alberta Health Service, Shaw Communications, Telus, Canada Pacific Railway, the City of Calgary and Mark's Work Warehouse.

Calgary, AB Employment Trends

The Calgary-Edmonton Corridor is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and job growth in Calgary will outpace most other cities. Its labor participation rate is nearly 75 per cent, well above average, and unemployment hovers around 5 per cent, well below Canada's nearly 7 per cent overall. Sectors that expect superior growth in Calgary include utilities, energy, healthcare, education, government, construction, manufacturing, finance and legal/administrative.

Professions that will continue to be in demand in the Calgary area include mechanical, petroleum, mining, and chemical engineers; physicists; public administrators; business managers; and IT consultants.